Shake Your Family Tree at the National Archives – Hobart

Shake Your Family Tree day at the National Archives in Hobart next Tuesday (16 April) offers family historians the opportunity to pick the brains of experts on the subject.

The annual event is a great drawcard for both experienced and novice researchers, with experts from a range of institutions on hand to share their knowledge. The National Archives is encouraging people to visit and learn more about what they can discover about their own family in various collections.

'People are always amazed to discover what we hold about their ancestors in the National Archives' collection – and what is available elsewhere,' said Director of the Tasmanian State Office, National Archives, Ross Gibbs.

'In our collection they might find family service records, photographs, immigration and citizenship applications, employment records and even letters which help to build a picture of their family's past. The search is even easier now, as many of these documents are available online.'

Visitors can attend seminars on finding family records in the National Archives, the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, and the State Library, as well as looking after family archives with conservator Stephanie McDonald.

Webcast seminars from Canberra during the day will introduce the National Archives' new website Destination: Australia, which features more than 20,000 photographs of post-war migrants and Record Matching – linking your family with the past by the family history website MyHeritage.com which is sponsoring the webcasts.

Showbags will be available all day. Entry is free but bookings for events are required. Programs and booking details are available at naa.gov.au.

Shake Your Family Tree will be held at LINC Tasmania, 91 Murray Street, Hobart, on Tuesday 16 April from 9.30 to 4pm.